Jacque’s Journey – Part 2… the HEAT!

“There is an aspect of Bikram that grows and strengthens you from within. As the class heats up, the mind starts to go… ‘I think I’m going to die!’ or ‘My skin could catch on fire any second!’ Wait… and wait… and well, it hasn’t happened!

Jax – Balancing Stick

Yes, it is hot, but the more you can block those thoughts from your thinking, the better it gets. And please note, I didn’t say easier. The teachers tell you to focus on your breath. That seems easy enough until you attempt it. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your nose. Almost the entire class you should be breathing through your nose only. This alone is completely foreign to some people. It requires concentration and focus which allows your brain to stop thinking “I’m HOT”! You are listening to the instructions of the teacher and trying to follow them. Now, did I mention you should focus on your breath? The more you focus on this amazingly simple, automatic and thoughtless task (breathing), the better this unimaginable exercise becomes.

What brought me to Bikram Yoga was weight loss. Now, after several months of practice, I’m finding the mental growth to be essential. What I’ve learned is that in those times where I have a really hard class, if I concentrate on my breath, I get through it. Every class we work on the ability to still our minds and focus on our breath. This action is so incredibly hard for me. It’s a mental struggle that seems impossible, at first, BUT when you beat the heat, so to speak, you feel STRONG & ACCOMPLISHED! I say to myself, ‘if I can do this, I can do anything!’”

Jacque also measured her weight loss progress – the day after Thanksgiving she measured a loss of 6.5″ on her waist. Yes, you read that right – AFTER Thanksgiving! WAY TO GO JACQUE!